[T & B-lymphocytes and immunoglobulins of the serum in drug eruptions of immediate type (author's transl)]. / T & B-Lymphozyten sowie Serumimmonoglobuline bei Arzneimittelallergien vom Soforttyp.

Lymphocyte subpopulations and serum immunoglobulins of patients with drug-hypersensitivity were studied. The results are as follows: Lymphocyte subpopulations: decrease of the E-rosette forming cells was observed in both active and symptom free state. The number of IgE-bearing lymphocytes in patients with drug-allergy was higher than that of the controls. Serum-immunoglobulins: The IgE-level in the serum of patients with drug-allergy was higher in active state than afterwards, but still higher than in the controls but it was lower than in atopic dermatitis patients. The level of the other immunoglobulins was normal.

Histamine-binding receptors and Fc receptors of T lymphocytes in SLE.

The participation of TG cells forming the suppressor T cell population and of histamine-binding cells was determined in the peripheral blood of patients with SLE. Former was considerably diminished in the active phase of the disease, latter was found diminished in both the active and the inactive phase. The results published in this paper support the functional disorder of suppressor T cells in SLE, an assumption based only on sporadic data before.

Levamisole in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease.

In vitro and in vivo action of levamisole has been studied in patients with Hodgkin's disease. In vitro levamisole significantly increased the active T cell count of 35 untreated active patients, of those being in complete remission after treatment and of 19 healthy controls; it significantly raised the total T cell count of patients. However, levamisole could not further improve the considerably increased active and total spontaneous rosette formation resulting from in vivo levamisole treatment. Twenty patients with Hodgkin's disease, being in complete remission, were given levamisole for 3 or 6 months, according to 2 different schedules. Levamisole (150 mg) given on 3 consecutive days of every second week for 3 months considerably increased the number of positive skin tests (from 8/60 to 29/60), the numbers of active and total T cells with unchanged absolute lymphocyte count, and decreased the quantity of circulating immune complex. Continuation of treatment for another 3 months resulted in slight, but consistent, decline in all the above parameters; the ratio of active T cells significantly decreased. This decline was even more pronounced if a raised larger dosage of levamisole was administered for 6 months. In the course of the treatment no side-effect or complication was observed. Levamisole is able to improve the weak cellular immune reactivity of patients with Hodgkin's disease, it can, however, result in undesired suppression in the case of too long treatment with high dose.